Cyprus: Minister of Health Michalis Damianos held a bilateral meeting in Copenhagen with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, during which they discussed issues concerning WHO-Cyprus relations and the operation of the WHO Country Office in Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, a revised agreement concerning the operation of the WHO Country Office in Cyprus was signed in the framework of the meeting. The revision aims to improve the Office’s efficiency and allow the transfer of unutilized resources to subsequent years.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 75th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, held in Copenhagen from 28 to 30 October.
Minister Damianos made interventions during the plenary sessions and participated in discussions on the Second European Programme of Work (EPW2) 2026-2030. Health Ministers from the 53 member states of the WHO European Region exchanged views on the complex challenges facing health systems, including multiple concurrent crises, the rapid advance of artificial intelligence, population aging, the burden on mental health, and the growing questioning of science.
They also defined the key priorities and collective actions required to promote and protect health across Europe. With Cyprus contributing to the discussions, the meeting adopted the Second European Programme of Work (2026-2030) for the WHO European Region, a forward-looking vision for the next five years, aimed at strengthening the resilience of health systems and preparing them for emerging long-term challenges and opportunities, the press release said.
In addition, Minister Damianos participated in debates on WHO governance and the development of specific strategies addressing youth and adolescent health, as well as the health of the elderly.